As the G7 meeting was held close to the SCO gathering, observers did not fail to notice the contrasts between the two. They noted that there appeared to be strong unity within the SCO, while the G7 ended in a disagreement between the leaders of Canada and the US.

Iran shares a close economic relationship with China. Trade between both countries was estimated at USD 37 billion for the year 2017. India too has high stakes in Iran. Apart from investing in Chabahar Port, it has significantly increased its oil imports from Iran.

Bangladesh’s space age has begun with the successful launch of the Bangabandhu-1 satellite into orbit on May 11, 2018, making it one of the 57 nations having its own satellite. The future space-based Bangladesh may face mixed experiences.

As the rising number of reported cases of abuse suffered by Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait reveals, these maids are vulnerable to all forms of maltreatment, including physical, sexual or verbal abuse, non-payment of salaries, and long working hours with no rest days.

On May 24, 2018, the African country of Burkina Faso announced that it was breaking diplomatic relations with Taiwan. It was the second such setback for Taipei in one month. The Dominican Republic made the same move just over three weeks earlier.

On May 20, 2018, Tsai Ing-wen celebrated her two-year anniversary as President of Taiwan. Polls by political organizations and media agencies found greater public dissatisfaction with Tsai since she took office in 2016.

China has often been condemned for being repressive in Xinjiang. If we look beyond the political rhetoric and propaganda, we can see that the rise of modern religious extremism in Xinjiang was an inevitable outcome of Chinese history.